A Quincy's Birthday Wish
by Ritsu-San
Summary: On his birthday, a Quincy makes a birthday wish for his two friends. T for foul language


Going outside the FFVII fandom here and doing Bleach! This was written for a contest on the FLOL site. I thought I'd share it here. Enjoy~ And remember, reviews are absolute love!

**Title: **A Quincy's Birthday Wish**  
Characters: **IchigoxOrihime (duh), RukiaxRenji, Chad, Ishida, Tatsuki and others**  
Rating: **T for swearing, mild violence**  
Disclaimer: **The wonderful series that is Bleach belongs to Kubo Tite. He's the Bleach God (and he decides what is canon, despite what some other dumb fans claim). I just read the series and write fanfics**  
Warnings: **Swearing (considering we're dealing with teenagers and potty-mouth shinigami), and a bit of good ol' fashioned violence**  
Summary: **On his 17th birthday, Ishida makes a birthday wish for his two friends

November 6th. For most people, it was just an ordinary day. For a particular Quincy, however, it was a little more than that.

It was his birthday. Ishida Uryuu would be turning seventeen years old.

He hadn't really been expecting much that day. He doubted he would hear from his father, which was the norm. Ryuuken had never really been the celebratory type. He wasn't even the fatherly type for that matter, but Uryuu was used to it.

His agenda had been to get some sewing material, clean, and later visit his mother's grave. He always visited her on his birthday and on the anniversary of her death. It was the only thing he got to look forward to, as painful as it was.

November 6th came, and Uryuu went about his business. He got some nice fabrics from the store, and treated himself to some ice cream. He cleaned when he got home, and around dinner time, he headed out to visit his mother's grave.

When he arrived, he tidied up the grave, pulling out any weeds that had sprung up and wiped off some stray marks. He knelt there for over an hour, talking about how his life was going, his friends, school, and all the events that took place after the Winter War's end.

Like every year, the conversation inevitably led to the subject of his father. "Tou-san actually helped fight during the war. I'm not sure if I was surprised or not. I guess I was too busy being grateful. Yes, I was actually grateful to tou-san. I just wish-" Uryuu shook his head. "It's partly my fault our relationship is as bad as it is. Still, sometimes I just want to," His voice trailed off, at a loss for words.

There were a lot of things he wanted to do, to have happen, to fix. However, fixing his relationship with his father would be difficult. He sighed. "I'll find a way, kaa-san. One day, maybe tou-san and I will get along." He stood up, brushing off pebbles and dirt from his pants. "I'll be back in a few months. Don't worry about me or tou-san. We're okay." _As okay as we'll ever be, anyway. _He bowed to her grave. "Good-bye, kaa-san." He straightened, and pushing back his glasses, spared one last glance at the grave before turning and walking away.

The walk back was long. It was cold, there was hardly anyone around, and Ishida was alone. His pace was brisk, although it took a good twenty minutes before he was made it home. He took out his keys, and inserted his house key in the lock. _I have no idea what to make for dinner. I think there's some leftover fish in the fridge. _Ishida unlocked the door, and pushed it open. He was greeted to darkness. He reached over to flip on the light switch as he kicked the door close.

"SURPRISE!!"

Ishida nearly jumped out of his skin as he spun around, his right wrist ready to form his Quincy bow. He stared ahead, and the hard, battle-ready expression on his face quickly turned into shock as he saw six of his friends assembled in his living room. "Wh-what's going on?" He stammered.

"It's a surprise party, you moron," Tatsuki said, grinning from her spot behind Orihime. "Happy Birthday Ishida."

Ishida could see streamers and a large, hand-made sign saying 'Happy Birthday' strung across the room. There were a few balloons floating about; some were in the living room, while a few others were in the kitchen. From the corner of his eye, he could see a large cake sitting in the middle of his dining room table. To his astonishment, there was also a small pile of presents sitting next to the cake.

Birthday presents. It had been years since he had gotten those. Ishida shook his head, trying to form a coherent thought. "I… were you- how did you-"

Sitting on the arm of Ishida's armchair, Rukia stuck her tongue out playfully. "For us to know and for you to never find out. We have our ways." Her raspberry retreated into her smiling lips, although her eyes suddenly became sad. "Inoue told us that you usually spent your birthdays alone. Last year we couldn't do anything because of the war, but this year we wanted to make up for it and throw you a party." Her face brightened again. "So, we all got together and coordinated it. We've been planning this for weeks."

Ishida, still flabbergasted, glanced over at the rest of his friends, who were all wearing smiles of amusement, mischief, and joy. He couldn't believe he hadn't caught onto this. His nakama were sneakier than he thought. "I don't know what to say," he admitted lamely.

"'Thank you' usually works."

Ishida glowered as his gaze traveled over to Kurosaki. The substitute shinigami was smirking at him, and it irritated him. Unfortunately, he was still so shocked that all he could counter was, "Shut up, Kurosaki."

"If you're done bickering," Rukia remarked, "I think it's time we got this party started. Ishida, do you have a stereo around here?" Rukia hopped off from her perch on the armchair.

Ishida sighed, deciding it was best not to comment on Rukia's remark. Instead, he nodded to her. "Yes, I have one in my room. Although," He frowned slightly. "why do you ask?"

Rukia grinned. "To play some music, of course. I think I've been in the human world long enough to know how to work one. Inoue and Tatsuki brought some CDs."

"Sorry Ishida-kun." Ishida blinked, and turned his head to Orihime, who was smiling at him apologetically. "I'm not sure if you like dancing or listening to any kind of party music, but Tatsuki-chan and I thought it would be fun and…" She laughed nervously.

He shook his head, smiling kindly at her. Ishida always had a soft spot for Orihime. She was like a little sister that he protected and watched over with affection. "It's all right Inoue," he assured her (he had dropped the –san from her name per request some time back), "I like good party music as well." He was no party-hopping fiend, but he liked listening to it, and it _was _a party.

Tatsuki smirked. "Good. We'll be blaring it loud and proud. All right Rukia, let's see what you know about stereos." She walked over to her pack that was leaning against the side of Ishida's couch, and after rummaging through it, pulled out a few CDs.

The two women headed off towards Ishida's room, CDs in tow, chatting about which one to play first. Meanwhile, Renji, who had been stretched out on Ishida's couch, peered over at him. "Oh yeah. I think Keigo and Mizuro are comin' later. They got held up with something."

Ishida restrained the urge to sigh. Mizuro wasn't too bad, but with Keigo, he knew he would have to resist planting an arrow up his ass by the night's end. "That's fine. Mizuro's tolerable as long as he doesn't stare at his phone all night, and as for Keigo, I think I can handle one major idiot."

Renji snorted. "If he gets that bad we'll just knock him out and shove him in a closet or something."

For the first time that night, Chad spoke. "Mizuro doesn't have a phone right now. He told me his broke yesterday."

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Well, no wonder. He always has it out. How'd he break it?" he asked.

Sado remained silent for a few beats. He then nodded, as if remembering. "It got knocked out of his hand by one of his friends. It was that new kid."

Renji suddenly sat up. "Shit, that's right! That Sakachi Aidou guy. They're bringing him too, I think."

Ishida's eyes widened and he spun his head towards Renji so quickly he was sure he would get whiplash. "_What_?"

Ishida resisted the urge to snap something in half as he thought about Karakura High's new student. _Crass, rude, womanizing, slick, and opportunistic._ He disliked him the moment he stepped into the classroom two weeks ago, and his distaste for him only grew from there.

Renji held his hands in front of him, palms spread. "Not my idea. I don't even know the guy. Just his name." He frowned slightly. "Why don't you like him?"

Ishida began to open his mouth to respond when he was suddenly interrupted by Orihime.

"What's wrong, Kurosaki-kun?" she asked.

Ishida averted his gaze away from Abarai and towards Kurosaki. Anyone who didn't know Ichigo as well as they did probably wouldn't have noticed. He appeared to be wearing his usual scowl, but the harder Ishida looked, the more he began to notice, like the faint lines of tension in his face, or the way Ichigo refused to meet anyone's eyes. Then Ishida sensed his reiatsu, and the way it was slowly darkening and getting heavy. He frowned in concern, although said nothing about.

Ichigo shifted uneasily on his feet. He finally looked up to meet Orihime's gaze with a heavy frown. "I'm not a big fan of the guy," he said bluntly.

Inoue smiled sympathetically. "Sakachi-kun can be kind of overbearing sometimes. He's very friendly and talkative, though, and he likes to joke a lot too. He reminded me of Shinji-kun the one day when he kind of hugged me and…" She was rambling, but suddenly trailed off. Her eyes widened a bit, and she started waving her hands in front of her. "Oh, not like that Kurosaki-kun! He was just being really nice!"

Ishida glanced back over at Ichigo, and nearly snorted when he saw Ichigo's mood had just worsened, if his deepening frown was any indication. _No surprise. Anyone who so much spares a glance the wrong way at Inoue will suffer Kurosaki's wrath. _If Sakachi pulled anything tonight, Ishida knew the party would be getting a violent form of entertainment.

"Does he bother you Inoue?" Kurosaki asked.

Inoue blinked once, and then smiled. "O-of course not! He just likes being friendly, although he does that with all the girls. Just like Shinji-kun, you know?"

Ichigo sighed, and his eyes softened. "Inoue, he's bothering you. It's all right; I won't grind him up or anything. But if he keeps doing that, just tell Tatsuki or me and we'll handle him, ok?"

She stared at him for a few seconds, frowning slightly before her face perked up and she nodded. "You bet, Kurosaki-kun."

An awkward silence followed. For a few moments, no one knew what to say. Finally, Renji, having enough tact to change the subject, suddenly turned to Ichigo. "Uh, speaking of, how are Shinji and those guys doing anyway?" he asked.

Ichigo resumed his usual scowl and filled in Renji about the Vizards' recent activities. Ishida didn't pay attention to that conversation, nor did he listen in on the one Inoue struck up with Sado about the cute puppy she saw in the pet shop the other day. Instead, he was more content to think and observe.

He kept looking back and forth between Ichigo and Orihime, noting how one would occasionally glance at the other, as if checking up on them and reading their mood. The two of them had an empathetic sort of bond that never ceased to amaze him. _Inoue knew right away something was wrong with Kurosaki, and he was able to tell in a moment that she was lying about Sakachi bothering her. They've always been like that, ever since Kurosaki obtained that Hollow form._

Memories flashed from that fateful fight with Ulquiorra. The way Inoue had unwittingly called out that Hollow form, and how she was the one person it wouldn't harm.

Ishida sighed quietly. _I still don't understand how their bond works. Kurosaki even heard Inoue's thoughts. I can't wrap my head around it. None of us can. We've all just come to accept it, even as it's grown. Yet, their relationship is at a standstill. They're in love with each other, I would bet my Quincy cross on-  
_

Ishida's thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a loud blast of music from down the hall. For the second time that night, Ishida was taken by surprise. Faintly audible through the blaring music was Tatsuki's cursing, and after a few painful seconds for everyone's ears, the music was finally turned down. Ishida rubbed his ear, positive that the volume of the music had been enough to blast out his temporal lobe.

Seconds later, Rukia and Tatsuki emerged from his room. The former was laughing nervously and the latter was muttering under her breath. "Eh, I apologize about that everyone." Rukia scratched her head. "We were having a slightly difficult time, and somehow we had turned up the volume before the music was turned on."

Ishida frowned at them. "It's not that hard to figure out," he said.

Tatsuki glowered at him. "Shut up. That stereo system is freaking complex. I was about two seconds away from hollering for you when she," Tatsuki jabbed her thumb at Rukia, "somehow got it working."

Rukia waved her hand dismissively. "By sheer chance, and it doesn't matter. It's working now, at the cost of a few ruptured eardrums. We have music, people, and the entire night ahead of us." She grinned, casting her earlier embarrassment aside. "So, let's dance."

~*~

Ishida had to give his nakama credit: they knew how to throw a party. The music was good, the company was great, and everyone's dancing skills were atrocious enough to elicit many laughs. Even he found himself chuckling at times, and Kurosaki cracked a few smiles as well.

An hour into the party, Ishida was laughing once again at Abarai's expense. "Don't quit your daytime job, Abarai," he said wryly as Renji made another failed attempt at doing The Worm.

Renji scowled at him from his sprawled position on the floor. "Shut up, four-eyes."

Tatsuki joined in on the teasing, smirking as she looked at Rukia. "Sorry to say Kuchiki, but your man can't dance."

Rukia smiled, shaking her head. "True, I'm afraid, but I am not courting him for his dancing skills." Her eyes turned to Renji, smiling fondly at him. "You may not be able to dance, but you'll always be the bravest man I know, for going up to Nii-sama like that and getting his permission to court me."

Renji winced at the memory. "I would have rather taken on an army of Gillians than face him like that."

"That's why you're so brave, Abarai-kun." Orihime smiled. "Kuchiki-taichou is pretty intimidating. I would rather have faced Hollows too, or maybe be abducted by the pink aliens with laser guns! Sometimes they come at night to kidnap people, and I see them from my window. Actually, that'd be really cool to be taken by them! Then they'd do experiments and all that stuff." Orihime's eyes widened, her hands flailing excitedly as she thought about it. "Though, that might be a bit scary too. Sometimes they like to keep humans on their ships and never bring them back."

_Let her go, just… let her be. _Ishida just nodded along with her as the others gave her looks that ranged from blank to outright flabbergast.

The only one that was different was Ichigo's. He was smiling kindly, and tilted his head to the side. "The pink aliens, eh?"

Orihime nodded vigorously. "Has Kurosaki-kun seen them?"

He shook his head. "No, but I wouldn't let them abduct you, regardless."

Her eyes widened slightly before she nodded. "Thank you."

"All right." Tatsuki interrupted the pair's tender moment. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm starving. If Ishida's up for it, maybe we can do the cake." She glanced over at him. "I'm also suggesting this because, I don't know if you ever heard Keigo, but he sings worse than Abarai dances."

"OI!" Renji glared at Tatsuki. "My dancing is not that bad!"

Ishida cut in before Renji went on a tirade. "That's fine with me." He really didn't want to hear Keigo sing.

Tatsuki grinned. "Great. All right, you got any matches around? And Inoue, get the candles ready."

Orihime nodded and went over to her pack, which was slumped against Tatsuki's by the couch, and began to rummage through it. Meanwhile, Ishida walked over to a small drawer in his kitchen. He pulled it open, and began sifting through all the various utensils until he found the matches. "Here," he said, and tossed them to Tatsuki.

She deftly caught them, just as Orihime finally pulled out the candles. "Found them Tatsuki-chan!" she declared, and hurried over to the cake. She opened the box, and began placing the candles in the cake. "Hmm… Tatsuki-chan, do you want me to light the candles?"

Before Tatsuki could answer, Ichigo quickly grabbed the matches from her and opened them. "NO! Uh, no, Inoue, maybe it's better if I do." He quickly lit a match, and began lighting the candles.

Inoue watched nervously as Ichigo lit the candles. "Oh-oh, but Kurosaki-kun, what if the little red people came out and bit you? They live in the flames, and if you get too close they bite and-"

Ichigo shook his head. "It's all right. I know how to avoid the little red people," he assured her.

Orihime's eyes widened, her mouth agape. "Wow! Kurosaki-kun is so amazing! I always get bit."

He smiled in understanding. "It's hard. Here." He blew out the match, and took one of the few lit candles and used it to light the other candles. "If you use a lit candle, you can avoid getting bur- bit." He demonstrated how to hold the candle properly when lighting other candles.

From his spot next to the drawer, Ishida watched the demonstration until he heard a soft snort behind him. He turned around, and saw Rukia watching the scene in amusement. "Wrapped around her finger much?" she said quietly, nodding her head at Ichigo.

Ishida smirked. "In a way, yes, although it's unintentional on both their parts." _Inoue would never use Kurosaki like that, although I think Kuchiki has the right of it. He really would do anything for her. _

"Ishida?" Uryuu blinked, and glanced over at the source of the voice. It was Sado, and he was beckoning to the cake. "Candles are lit."

Rukia tugged on Ishida's arm, partially pulling him towards the table. "Right. Ok, birthday boy, time to sing." She released him, and Ishida was left standing directly in front of the cake, all his nakama assembled around the table. They were all smiling or grinning, and he couldn't help but feel excited.

"Ok everyone," Tatsuki said, "on my count. Ichi, ni, san!"

The 'Happy Birthday' song was always a colorful song. The way it was sung varied with each person, and the more people singing it, the more colorful the song was. Ishida's nakama certainly added their own touch to it, with the deep voices of Sado, Ichigo, and Renji highlighted by the light voices of Inoue and Rukia. Tatsuki's was somewhere in the middle. While it was no choral performance, Ishida got a kick out of listening to it.

Once done, Ishida was about to just blow out his candles when Orihime chirped, "Make a wish too Ishida-kun!"

He blinked, and then nodded. "Of course."

_What to wish for?_ He didn't want to wish for something petty and materialistic. He had to make his wish count for something.

His initial thought was his father. _Maybe I can wish for our relationship to be better. That way… no. I can't just wish for that. _I _need to do that. It's my problem._

He was still at a loss for ideas when he looked up, and saw Orihime's smiling face, with Kurosaki standing right behind her. It dawned on him. _Maybe I can't wish to fix my issues with Ryuuken, but…_

Ishida inhaled.

_Maybe I can wish for happiness for two people who deserve it. Not to mention they'll never act of their own accord. So I wish,_

He leaned down, keeping his hair away from the flames.

_That Inoue and Kurosaki will finally get together, because they deserve it at the very least, and because I know in my heart it'll make them happy.  
_

He blew out all seventeen candles in one shot. He was out of breath, but also smug as his friends clapped and cheered.

_Now let's see if anything comes of it._

~*~

The cake was red velvet with cream cheese icing: Ishida's favorite. He nearly had a panic attack when he discovered Orihime had baked it, but relaxed when Rukia assured him she helped.

Ishida and most of his nakama were on their second piece of cake when they heard a loud knock.

Renji stood up. "Must be Mizuro and Keigo. I'll get the door if you don't mind." Ishida nodded, and Renji casually strolled to the door. He opened it and glanced outside. "Yo."

"RENJI!" Renji stepped back, and leaping in was Keigo. He hung in mid-air for less than two seconds before he made contact with the floor. He let out a small 'oof' and muttered something about 'just like Ichigo' before bouncing back up. "Helloooo all!" He waved, a present tucked under his arm. "Happy Birthday Ishida!"

Mizuro stepped in next, and waved to everyone. "Sorry we're so late. Happy Birthday Ishida." He also had a present in tow.

Ishida smiled slightly and nodded. "It's ok, and thank you." _I don't see Sakachi. Maybe he didn't come, or perhaps he was left in a ditch somewhere. That-_

A third figure walked in. He was tall, around Ichigo's height, with ink black hair that framed his face. His eyes were a light green, and he was grinning. That cocky, superior grin that Ishida hated so damn much. "Oi. Some party here." He glanced around, and raised his brows. "No drinks?"

Ishida frowned heavily at Sakachi. "If you're referring to alcohol, then no. We're a little underage, in case you hadn't checked. If you're thirsty, there are some more legal drinks in the refrigerator."

He chuckled. "Such a prude. Fine, I'll do without." He looked at the group, and his eyes fell on Rukia.

She took notice, and eyed him warily as she carried over some empty plates to the sink. Sakachi smirked, and strode over to her.

Keigo's eye twitched as he brought over his birthday present to the table. "Uh, Sakachi, isn't it a little early to be hitting on women?" His voice lowered dramatically. "Especially Rukia?" he whispered weakly.

_Let him find out the hard way. _Ishida thought amusedly as he watched the scene at the sink unfold.

Sakachi walked up, and leaned against the counter next to the sink. Rukia gave him a polite smile as she dumped the dishes in the sink. As she rinsed them off, Sakachi took the initiative and spoke first. "Hey there."

Rukia glanced up at him, and smiled that fake, sugary smile she always wore around strangers. "Why hello there, Sakachi-kun. We haven't met before, no?"

He shook his head, and leaned closer, taking Rukia's bait. "Nope, and that's a shame. I'd love to get to know you."

_Is this guy _serious_? _Ishida thought. From the corner of his eye, he saw Renji rise, but Chad's hand stopped him. He sensed movement from behind, and turned slightly to see Ichigo doing the same, but stopped by Tatsuki instead.

"Hold it Ichigo. It's a lot more entertaining this way," Tatsuki said under her breath.

Rukia continued her cute act, even as Sakachi got too close for comfort. "Hmm. I've heard a number of things about you." Her voice was extremely upbeat and sweet, even though her nakama knew it was a warning sign.

"What have you heard?" Sakachi asked, and dared place a hand on Rukia's shoulder.

Faster than the idiot could comprehend, Rukia's hand was on his, and bent his fingers back beyond the comfort level. "Nothing good, actually." She glanced up and down at him, checking him out, even as he turned sheet white from the pain. "To be honest, Sakachi-kun, you're really not my type." Her eyes for a brief second averted to Renji before looking back at him. "I like a more tattooed, rough around the edges type."

She released him, and he dropped to the floor, clutching his hand. "Of course, it's very kind you're attracted to me," she continued to talk in her bogus, happy voice, "but if you lay a hand on me again, I'll do worse." She was still smiling innocently as she stepped around him, and walked away.

Renji was beaming like a madman as Rukia walked up to him. He slung his arm around her, and she leaned into him. "That was awesome," he whispered.

"Thanks." She sent him a smile.

"Ah ha." Sakachi shakily stood on his feet, gingerly holding his hand. "You're dating. I see."

Ishida couldn't help himself; it was just too good _not _to say. "Thank you for that amazing observation Sakachi. Remind me in the future to come to you whenever I need the obvious pointed out to me," he remarked sarcastically.

Mizuro, who along with Keigo had already helped themselves to some cake, nearly snorted out what he was eating. Keigo had burst out laughing, luckily with nothing in his mouth. He ignored Sakachi's withering glare, and was content to be doubled over in laughter.

Renji smirked at Ishida, but it left as soon as he looked at Sakachi. "Yeah, and if you make another move on her I'll-"

A small hand was placed over his lips, and he frowned. Rukia shook her head at him. "I think he got the message, Renji."

Mizuro laughed nervously. "Eh, Sakachi, why don't you come over here and have some cake?"

"And stay away from the girls," Keigo added.

~*~

This is exactly what Sakachi did for a grand total of one hour.

Ishida began to believe he might behave the rest of the night. His gut told him otherwise, but he was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, seeing as Sakachi was content to sit in his chair and sulk.

_Let him stay there,_ Ishida thought. _All the better for the rest of us._

As Sakachi's first hour there drew to a close, it began to go downhill. At first, Ishida didn't notice him do anything. He was still in the same chair, being quiet. Then Ishida caught him eyeballing Inoue.

Hitting on Rukia with Renji around was a guaranteed hurt fest. Hitting on Inoue with just Tatsuki nearby was asking for a full body cast. Hitting on Inoue with not only Tatsuki in the vicinity, but also Kurosaki was a death sentence.

Oblivious to his impending doom, Sakachi smirked, and continued to watch Inoue. Ishida clenched his fist, reminding himself he couldn't draw out his bow and release Licht Regen on him.

Chad stepped next to Ishida, and gently laid a hand on his arm. "What's wrong?" he asked quietly.

Ishida nodded towards Sakachi. "Him. He's eyeing up Inoue."

Sado glanced at Sakachi. He watched him for a few moments, frowning slightly as the boy continued to watch Orihime. Ishida knew he didn't like it anymore than he did. "She'll be ok though. Tatsuki and Ichigo are around."

He nodded. "Yeah. I'm still nervous though." He frowned suddenly. "Has Kurosaki noticed?"

Chad blinked, and glanced over at Ichigo. He was standing a few feet away from Inoue, talking to her and Tatsuki. He was scowling as usual, although it would lighten whenever Inoue addressed him.

Chad shook his head. "No, I don't think so." He looked back at Ishida. "I think we'd all know it."

Ishida put a hand to his chin, contemplating. "Yes. Kurosaki would be glaring at him or something if he knew. It doesn't he mean he won't eventually."

"Who won't what?"

Chad and Ishida turned, and found Mizuro standing behind them. "If you mean Sakachi over there trying something, I'd count on it." He sighed quietly. "He doesn't get deterred easily."

Ishida shook his head. "Why are you friends with him?"

Mizuro shrugged. "He seemed okay at first, but the more I see, the more I wonder." He reached into his pocket before he pulled it out just as quickly. He crossed his arms instead. "Let me talk to him. Maybe I can see what he's up to." He walked between Chad and Ishida, and headed over to Sakachi.

Meanwhile, Tatsuki turned to Ishida. "When do you want to open your stuff?" she asked, nodding at the pile of presents Ishida had.

He was slightly baffled for a moment, having completely forgotten about them. "Oh, um, I can open them after I do the dishes." He glanced over at the sink. "I was about to do that-"

From her spot next to Renji on the couch, Rukia lifted her head off his shoulder. "How about Tatsuki and I do them?" she volunteered. "You're not doing housework on your birthday."

Ishida thought it was best not to mention he had before they arrived. "If you insist," he said reluctantly.

Rukia rolled her eyes. "Yes, I do. Oi, Tatsuki." She got up, and walked over to the dishes.

"You wash, I dry." Tatsuki began to step away, but then turned to Inoue. "You wanna put in that new CD you got?" she asked, since the music had gone quiet.

Inoue's eyes lit up, and she clapped her hands together. "Good idea Tatsuki-chan!" She headed back over to her pack, and dug through it again. Tatsuki, meanwhile, made her way to the sink, and waited as Rukia walked over and began to start washing the dishes.

Orihime pulled out a CD case, and started to make a dash for Ishida's room, a smile on her face. Suddenly, she stopped and faced him. "Um, Ishida-kun doesn't mind? I got all excited about putting it in and I didn't even ask Ishida-kun if he wants new music because it's his party and-"

He couldn't help but smile. "No, go ahead. I'm interested in hearing it," he said. _I wonder though. _He watched as Inoue skipped to his room. _Is her taste in music as eccentric as her cooking skills? _He had no idea, but odd taste in music usually wasn't as bad (or lethal) as in cooking.

"Oi, Ishida. Where's your bathroom?" Ichigo asked.

Ishida pointed towards the hall. "Across from my room, where Inoue went."

He nodded. "Thanks." He strolled casually down the hall; a stark contrast to Inoue's earlier skipping.

There was a crash followed by a short yell. Ishida twisted around, trying to locate the source of the sound. He blinked when he saw a shocked Rukia and a partially wet Tatsuki. "I'm so sorry Tatsuki! I-"

Rukia's apology was cut off by Tatsuki's laughter. "That's all right. The dishes slip out of my fingers all the time, and my mom usually gets soaked too." She rubbed off some water that had splashed onto her cheek. "Did the dish break?"

Rukia frantically searched through the sink, and pulled out the plate that she had dropped. "No, thank goodness."

Secretly relieved, Ishida turned his attention away from the women, and glanced over at the table. His heart skipped a beat when he saw Sakachi was missing. Mizuro was talking to Keigo about something, and had his back to the chair Sakachi had been in.

"Where's Sakachi?" Chad asked. He too had been watching the scene at the sink, and hadn't been paying attention.

Ishida's gut clenched as he directed his gaze down the hallway. There, Sakachi was standing in the hallway, facing a surprised Orihime. Somehow, he had snuck past when Rukia dropped the dish and distracted everyone.

"Hi Sakachi-kun! Um," Inoue tried stepping past him, but Sakachi just leaned the other way. "excuse me though. I'd like to get back to help with the dishes so Ishida-kun can open his presents."

_Don't jump into action, let Inoue handle it. _Ishida had to fight every protective bone in his body to not rush over there and shove Sakachi away.

He couldn't see his expression with his back turned to the others, but he could picture the smirk. "Two people are enough, eh? And there's no rush. Let's just chat."

Orihime's frowned at Sakachi. It wasn't one of her concerned frowns either. It was one of her rare, annoyed frowns. "Maybe later? I really want to help." Orihime gently pushed Sakachi away when he tried to block her again, and finally got past him.

For a second, Ishida felt relief. It seemed like Orihime had handled him just fine. _She's not quite as hesitant to stand her ground anymore. _

That was before Sakachi spun around and snatched her arm. "How about _now_?" He yanked her back.

If Sakachi had done it ten seconds earlier, it would have been Ishida, Renji, or Chad who would have dealt with him. However, just as Sakachi had grabbed Inoue's arm, Ichigo stepped out of the bathroom.

It happened fast. One moment he was stepping out of the bathroom, and the next he had his hand around Sakachi's neck. The newcomer had been taken by surprise, enough to let go of Orihime's arm. Ichigo yanked him back, and with all the strength he had accumulated through his shinigami training, threw him out of the hall and a good ways across the living room before he landed.

The entire group fell silent. The only sound was the music. What wasn't said in words was expressed through facial expressions and the atmosphere. The air around them was tense, heavy and thick. Most of their expressions were shocked. Orihime was stunned as she looked up at Ichigo. The look on his face was murderous.

"If you _ever_ touch Inoue like that again, I will make you pay for it more than you can imagine." He took a menacing step towards him.

"Kurosaki-kun." Ichigo stopped, and glanced over his shoulder at Orihime. Her eyes were pleading. "It's ok. Please don't."

Ishida could see the war playing out in Ichigo's eyes. His fist clenched and unclenched several times. He looked at Sakachi, still on the floor, and then back at Inoue. He relented. "All right. But-"

Sakachi snorted, and Ishida became convinced he had a death wish. "Aren't you a little softie? What is she, your girlfriend? She don't act like it."

Everyone else in the room, save Ichigo and Sakachi, became tenser. Any minute now, Ichigo was going to pound the crap out of this guy, and then they'd have a mess on their hands. It was the scenario Ishida had in his head, and he was sure it was the same for everyone else.

Surprisingly, Ichigo stood still. If anything, he seemed calm. He leaned against the wall, casually regarding Sakachi. "What if she is?"

The tension instantly turned into confusion. Ishida's mouth nearly dropped, and similar expressions of disbelief were on everyone's faces. "Say what?" Sakachi asked.

"I said, what if she is?"

Orihime's eyes were as wide as dinner plates. "K-K-Kurosaki-kun?"

Ichigo sighed, and smiled down at Inoue. "Sorry. I think we gotta tell them though."

"Tell us what?" Renji asked skeptically.

"We've been dating for awhile now. We didn't want to tell anyone, since we didn't want anyone to make a big deal about it. Wanted to make sure we were going to hit it off before we spread the word." Ichigo's expression was serene as he lied through his teeth.

Ishida looked at Chad, and the half Mexican just shrugged, as confused as he was. _He has to be lying. We would have known if they were. Still, I can understand why he's lying. It gets Sakachi off Inoue's back. But where did this _tact _come from? _

Sakachi sneered at the pair before him. "She looks a little shocked, dontcha think?" He gestured at Orihime's expression, which was still dumbfounded.

Rukia snorted. "Well, of course. She obviously wasn't expecting Ichigo to tell all of us." Rukia was typically a horrible actress, but she still could be a good liar and play along.

"Prove it then!" Sakachi challenged.

Ichigo frowned at him, but then nodded. "Fine." He bent down to Inoue's height, and whispered, "Sorry."

Inoue had turned several shades of red, and blinked in confusion. "For-?"

Ichigo explained his apology when he pressed his lips to hers. His fingers laced through her hair, and gently pushed her head forward as his eyes drifted shut.

The reactions in the room varied. Renji gawked, the girls gasped, Mizuro blinked, and Keigo fainted. Ishida nearly fell over, and had to stumble to regain his balance, while Chad just stared with wide eyes before quickly turning away from the private moment. As for Sakachi, he stared at the couple in disbelief, not uttering a sound.

Ichigo pulled back, and Ishida wondered if Inoue would be joining Keigo and Sakachi on the floor. The substitute shinigami looked intently at Sakachi, a nearly invisible smirk on his face. "That enough proof for you?"

"Uh, I… sure."

Ishida stepped forward, quickly recovering from his shock. There was time to ask Kurosaki what that had been all about later. "Good. Now that you have your answer, I think it's time you left." Crossing his arms, he glared at him. "I don't care whose friend you are or who you might be, you do not grab a lady like that in my house. I should have thrown you out when you attempted to harass Kuchiki-san, but considering your only contact with her wasn't harmful and it was your first offense, I let it slide." He walked towards the door, and yanked it open. "But I won't tolerate you ogling, harassing, and cornering my female friends like that, and then handle them like they're objects. If you do happen to go after Inoue again, I will _help_ Kurosaki make you pay. Now, _get out._"

Sakachi wasted no time in doing so. He scrambled off the floor and hurried out. He threw a glare at Ishida over his shoulder, but his only response was a slammed door.

Ishida forced himself to calm down and to control his temper. He glanced out the window, and watched until Sakachi was out of sight. He stepped back, and pushed up his glasses. "Good riddance," he huffed.

"I'm so sorry." Mizuro glanced down at the floor, shoving his hands into his pockets. "I should never have brought him."

Ishida shook his head. "You're not responsible for his actions. You were trying to make him feel welcome, but it backfired on you." He redirected his gaze at Kurosaki. "Now, what was that?"

Ichigo shrugged. "Seemed like a better way to get him to knock it off than beating him up." He shook his head. "A little extreme I guess. I'm sorry," he said to Inoue.

She waved her hands about, a deep blush still on her cheeks. "Oh no no! I totally understand. I didn't mind at all! I-" Realizing her error, she waved her hands and arms even more frantically. "I-I mean-!"

Her companion smiled a little mischievously. "I didn't mind either."

Renji, in his more typical lack of tact, said, "Well then, just ask her out you dumbass."

Sado snorted, and Ishida's hand covered his face while he battled between yelling at Abarai or bursting out in laughter.

Ichigo glared at Renji, and muttered something under his breath before looking back at Inoue. "Well, um." He looked around him, and crossed his arms. "I don't want to do this in front of everyone."

"Kurosaki-kun," Orihime was still flushing, but her earlier mortification had vanished. "you can ask me formally later. I can tell you it's a 'yes' though."

The look on Ichigo's face was something Ishida could only describe as beaming. He was half expecting his face to break apart or something; he had _never _seen him smile like that before.

Suddenly, Tatsuki threw the towel on the counter and spun around at the new couple. She put her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes. "It took you long enough. Seriously, it was getting ridiculous. I never thought I'd get to do this," she complained. Tatsuki's eyes closed, and she took a deep breath, and concentrated. Suddenly, she pointed a look at Ichigo. "You," she began, pointing a finger at him, "break her heart, and, friend or not, I'll kick your ass. Got it?"

With a blink, Ichigo nodded. "Uh, sure." He glanced away from her, a small sweatdrop running down the side of his head.

Orihime laughed uneasily, placing a hand on the back of her head. "Uh, thank you Tatsuki-chan, but-"

Ichigo took Orihime's other hand in his, and gave it a gentle squeeze. "It's ok. She has every right to threaten me."

If it was possible, her cheeks reddened even more, but she still intertwined her fingers with his. "Well, if you're ok with it, Kurosaki-"

"Ichigo."

Her smile widened, and she nodded. "Ichigo-kun."

"Ok, lovebirds. You can ogle each other while Ishida opens his gifts," Rukia teased. "The dishes are finally done." She dried her hands on a dish towel as Tatsuki finished drying the last dish.

Ichigo and Orihime flushed. Ichigo cleared his throat, and tugged on Orihime's hand as he walked forward. She followed, shortly trailed by Renji and everyone else outside the kitchen as they made their way to the table.

Ishida sat down in front of the present pile, and stared at it like it was from another planet. As his nakama sat down around the table (Keigo finally regained consciousness after continual prodding from Mizuro), Renji asked, "You ok?"

Ishida nodded hesitantly, still eyeing the presents like they were about to sprout legs. "I am… not used to getting presents."

Rukia gave him an encouraging smile. "You are just going to have to get used to it again. What kind of nakama would we be if we didn't give you gifts on your birthday?"

As Ishida looked up from the gift horde, it slowly dawned on him that Rukia was right. His nakama were here to stay, and as long as he kept on having birthdays, they would keep on celebrating with him. There wouldn't be any more lonely birthdays. His father didn't care, and his mother and grandfather weren't with him anymore. It pained him, but with his nakama, it would be easier to handle the lack of his family's presence. As far as he was concerned, his nakama _were _his family now.

_How many people get to celebrate a birthday quite like this? Who can say that they have everyone they truly care about, and who care about them in return, together on their birthday? _He smiled.

_I'm not alone anymore. I've had these guys as nakama since last year, but now it's really dawned on me how much they matter. _"Everyone," he began, lifting a present off the table.

He looked around at his friends, all smiles and grins. His gaze eventually fell on Ichigo and Orihime. He had his arm draped casually over her shoulders, and for the first time since Ishida had known Ichigo, he looked truly content. Orihime was beaming, and he could all but feel the happiness radiate from her.

Then he remembered. _My birthday wish. That's right, I wished for them to get together and they did. I guess I have another thing to add to the list: how many people get to see their wish come true right in front of them?  
_

"I mean this sincerely, and at the risk of sounding overly sentimental, I have to say," He paused. _Thank you, everyone. Thank you for planning this, for caring enough. Thank you, Kurosaki and Inoue, for fulfilling a wish and reminding me that small miracles do happen, even with all the odds, like dense-headedness and fear, against you. _He wanted to say this, and so much more. However, he thought it was best summed up by saying, "thank you, for giving me the best birthday I ever had."

-

**A/N: **This was my first completed attempt at writing Bleach. Hope it didn't suck too much ^_^;

The contest was to have IchiHime somewhere in the fic, and prevalent, but it didn't have to be the main focus. I think it sort of is a big point in this fic, but I wanted to do something a little different. So I did this from Ishida's POV. He's an interesting guy, and he would pick up on all the interactions between Ichigo and Orihime, I would think.

And for those of you who might have gotten a little confused: When Tatsuki said "Ichi, ni, san" she was saying "one, two, three" in Japanese.


End file.
